Back in touch......

The parcel from Jack

Ooooo! I've missed writing my blog but all is well again! I have had several technical problems and I'm still ironing out one or two , but hopefully I can write my weekly account again now.


When Jack came to Rwanda in August we searched for a bread tin so that I could make my own bread which wasn't full of sugar. We couldn't find one anywhere, so Jack sent me one in the post.Look carefully at the photo and you will see my lovely bread tin - squashed out of all recognition! Goodness knows what happened to it on the way here but as you can see, the only bread that's going to be baked in there is 'flatbread'!!! lol. But thankyou Jack - you're a star! The sweets and jelly are much appreciated as well. And, as it happens Phil also sent a bread tin - a silicone one so I'm going to be trying that out soon. 

Playing with jigsaws in the bank

Regular readers of the blog will know about the village project which my friend Fidele and his friends and family have initiated. Back in February I went down the lake to visit the village for the first  time and then in August Wendy, Phil and I went to stay in the village for several days. Jack is also heavily involved in the project and was in Rwanda the whole of his school holidays. Now every month I go to Kibuye to meet up with the teacher, the project manager and the treasurer. We sit in the bank and sort out the accounts etc and then I do some teacher training. Last month I took some home made jigsaws and here is a picture of Francois doing his first ever jigsaw!!! He really enjoyed it. 

A very happy teacher

And in this photo you can see Gabriel, the teacher with the biggest smile in the world! He's so delighted because I gave him a solar powered speaker set and an old 'Walkman' CD Player so that he can play English Dialogues to the adult English class that he has started in the village. So, thanks Phil for that wonderful kit which will help to transform lives. Every time I go to pay the wages I take teaching aids as well and it's wonderful because everyone in the bank is intrigued and even the security guard and bank staff come to see what is happening this month!Last month we played a game with a coloured die and a game board made from a rice sack. No-one had seen such a game before. We were in the bank about 3 hours and it occurred to me what a unique situation this was - it couldn't happen in the UK - we'd probably be charged for sitting at the table!!


I think I should tell you a bit more about the Kibingo Project because I realise some of you will be confused. So, to clarify, my main work is my job with VSO which is quite separate from the project. The project is situated in a village in a very poor rural area, 2 hours by boat down Lake Kivu. The children from the village have to walk about 2 hours to get to school - even the little ones, so we have started a Nursery school in the village for children aged 4-7years. We have also started adult classes for the parents at the end of their days work cultivating the fields to grow food for their families. We provide food for the children every time they come to school.The project will make a tremendous difference to the lives of the children and their families.The project has also involved building work to provide suitable accommodation for guests to the village. We have lots of plans for the future, and a website is under construction.

The short term goals of the project are:

·         To establish a Nursery School  for the youngest children, providing breakfast and dinner for the children aged 4-7years

·         To establish adult literacy lessons in English as a second language

·          To provide clean drinking water to the village.

Long term goals include:

·         the erection of a health post, providing health checks and care for expectant mothers and young babies

·          the installation of electricity to the village. (In the short term and as fund raising allows we aim to bring electricity via solar panels to the church and the school. This will also act as an income generating scheme for replacement of parts and batteries. The electricity will be sold to local people to charge their mobile phones)   

The project is funded entirely by individuals in the UK and if you would like more information please send an e-mail to tricia.atherton@gmail.com 


So, that's probably enough for now but please don't forget to comment or write on facebook or send me an e-mail. Lots of love to everyone xxxxx. Oh and the swallows have returned to Africa so I guess it's too cold for them now in the UK - Sorry!

test post...

Tricia wanted to let you all know that she has really missed writing her blog this month, and will be back ASAP once Sara has resolved the technical difficulities...x

Blog blockage...

Hi all,

I'm thinking this isn't going to be anywhere near as interesting as Tricia's posts but i've been asked to let you know there is a blog blockage...as in too much blog roll causing issues! In plain simple words Tricia is having technical difficulties posting on her blog this month.  So don't be worried...she's still alive and kicking just not kicking the tales out on line at the moment.

Remember posting time for Chirstmas in Rwanda is approx 6 weeks delivery time (if your lucky)...so get organised with your card for T this year extra early...i'd say you've got about 1 week from now before final posting!

Happy following...Sara..x

There's something about trees.....

If you are building a house it can be very easy here in Rwanda – you clear the ground and make a hole for the foundations. Then you dig up the earth , mix it with water and make your bricks. You lay them out in the sun to bake. Need any wood? It’s easy - you chop down the tree that is growing on your land and make it into roof struts etc. The roof is the most expensive because you are no longer allowed to make your roof of the local sword grass and bamboo. It has to be either a tin roof or baked tiles , both of which have to be purchased. This is the only thing requiring transport, so energy costs are few.  There is even a way around this. The other day I saw a young boy walking along the road with his schoolbooks under his arm and roof tiles on his head  ‘Here you are, son, on your way to school, drop these off at your Auntie Mauds.’

 However things are changing and developing and no doubt soon everything will have to be acquired through large warehouses and distribution centres, adding to the costs of building a house and the cost to the earth of transportation.

There are some magnificent trees here in Rwanda and they are used for all sorts of things. This week some of these trees near my office have been taken down – enormous Eucalyptus and Pines growing by the side of the road – felled by men with one chain saw and a thick rope. Next day the trees are turned into wood for the use of carpenters and builders. There was only one miscalculation and the front perimeter wall was damaged but was rebuilt immediately the next day.

Wonderful workmanship and skills.

This weekend I'm off to Gisenyi at the north end of the Beautiful Lake Kivu!!

Keep in touch and DON'T FORGET the Year Planners!! Thank you.

Lots love, Tx

Bungee Jumping Mamas and other things...

So, this week the blog is a hotchpotch of experiences and brief encounters.

I was in the town with a bag of shopping and my work bag and so decided to hop onto a Moto to go home, rather than walk. I negotiated with the young driver and we were just setting off when the guy on the moto next to me said something in Kinyarwanda (couldn’t catch the meaning) But I am CERTAIN that my driver replied by saying ‘Bunjee jumping Mama’!!! WHaat?? Am I hearing things? Course it could’ve been something else.

Sitting at the Bus Park , waiting for my bus to Kibuye, with two Rwandan ladies and their children when along comes a guy selling shoes. This is a common sight in Gitarama. The shoes are second hand given by donors in Europe and America. The guys carry about 20 single shoes in their two hands and the other members of the pairs are in a rucksack on the guys  back. So, this lady tries on several shoes and none of them fit. She’s really disappointed. She really tried to squash her feet into a shoe which was covered with beads, but no joy – none of them were suitable. I was watching, and she was watching me watching. When the guy turned away I stopped him and asked to try on the lovely bead covered shoe – no joy – too small for me too. The Rwandan lady and I looked at each other with great sympathy and understanding – it was one of those ‘girlie moments’! and reminded me of Cinderella – I wonder if the shoe guy found his princess?

Another bus story. I was sitting on the bus on my way back to Gitarama from Kigali, ticket in hand waiting for the driver to check our tickets so that we could set off. Then a delightful little girl and her mummy and baby got on the bus. She began to chatter away to me in Kinyarwanda – it didn’t seem to matter that I couldn’t understand , she was going to tell me all her news anyway! By the time the ticket man came, somehow my ticket had disappeared out of my hand!! I looked everywhere. The man next to me was very concerned and helpful – indicating my pockets, my bag, under my seat – nothing – not there. I was concerned because before now, I have seen people being told to get off the bus because they didn’t have a ticket. But the driver knows me (I try to blend in and be inconspicuous, but it’s difficult!) and the helpful man told him that he had seen me with the ticket in my hand. The little girl said nothing. Happily I was not thrown off the bus. Where was the ticket? The mischievous little imp had it in her hand all the time. (nooo, not me, the little girl – Sophia).

Just a lovely random photo

The best sign I’ve seen from the bus window this week has to be an advertisement outside a college, indicating the date, time etc for the ‘Swearing Ceremony’ YES!! I want to go to that.

Oh well, just another week in Rwanda!

Love to everyone. Xxx

Gitarama Road Works

PS Don’t forget to post Year Planners or calendars to:

Tricia Atherton

PO Box 207

Gitarama

Rwanda

We have hens!!! Introducing Heckerty Peckerty...

Can you spot 5 hens?

Yes, it’s true we now have hens, five to be exact – we wanted three but we have five! This turns out to be a good number because it means that each of us has been able to name a hen. I chose the name ‘Heckerty Peckerty’ for my hen because she is the lowest in the pecking order and if you look carefully at the photo you will see that the other hens have been pecking her head, just below the red crown. I know ... it’s mean isn’t it? 

But apparently quite normal for hens. (I’m glad I’m not  a hen)

Heckerty Peckerty

Anyway, I chose

‘Heckerty Peckerty my fine hen,

She lays eggs for gentlemen.

Sometimes nine and sometimes ten,

Heckerty Peckerty my fine hen’

Does anyone else in the whole world know this Nursery Rhyme? 

By the way, she hasn’t laid a single egg yet, but Kelly has. She lays one every day. The whole enterprise is not economically viable you understand – at least, unless we decide to eat them (the hens I mean), which we won’t!

Children make their own toys

What other news? 

Oh yes. I have a very exciting new project at the moment. I have been asked to help with the development of a Centre for Early Childhood Education, so I am collecting photos and ideas for resources for young children to learn through playing. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Make your own construction materials

When we went out for a walk on Sunday afternoon we spotted these small mud bricks which the children had made in imitation of the real thing - see the photo above of the wall of the house.

Kids are great aren't they?

Lastly, please can I make a  request for 2012 Year Planners. If you want to contribute something or if you have annoying businesses who send you loads of Year Planners or calendars and you only need one, please will you consider sending any spares to Rwanda? They don’t need to be fancy – any type will do  - so many headteachers would be helped in this way. 

The postal address is:

Tricia Atherton

PO Box 207

Gitarama

Rwanda

Thank you my lovely friends and family. xxxx

Autumn Equinox coming up... time to re-balance

For me, although we don’t really see a significant change in daylength here, the Autumn Equinox has come at the right time, or should I say my state of mind has coincided nicely with the Autumn Equinox?

What I mean is that I need to re-balance my thinking and attitude to life here in Rwanda. I have been here since January 14^th 2011 (8 months). I have gone through the great excitement of coming to live in Africa in a completely different culture. I have experienced the great joys of getting to know new people and how to live in a completely different situation. Everything is still sooo strange sometimes!  I have also gone through some times of ‘What am I doing here?’ – A very common and normal experience for people in my situation. So, having swung from one state of mind to another, I need to establish and maintain some sort of balance between the ‘excitement’ and the ‘misery’.

It didn't look up to much in the ground!

Reading my favourite book ‘The Celtic wheel of the Year’ by Tess Ward I am reminded of this time of year at home; of the changing, dying leaves but also of the rich  fruitfulness of autumn – pumpkins, root vegetables, harvest festivals and Orange October.

‘Blessed be you Mother Earth for your fruits,  that we may not go hungry’

Such truth and relevance in those words here in Rwanda – the earth is so fertile even after years and years of cultivation.

But LOOK at what was hidden underground!

At home, I know you must be fed of up dark drizzly days soon enough, so you could view the darkness as a time to rest, to hunker down for the winter, to bake lovely casseroles and pies, cakes and puddings – beautifully hot, warming foods.

But most of all, a time for having friends and family around – shake off the coldness together! One thing I have regained whilst I have been here is the pleasure of playing simple games with friends – cards, scrabble ( a bit stressful) and my favourite ‘The Colander of Death’ – sounds gruesome but it’s great fun. (Thanks Vanessa) 

mmm warm beetroot with Lancashire Hotpot

Anyway, back to the balance of the Equinox!! A balance between day and night; between hope and despair; between high and low expectations; between close and far; deep and shallow (friendships).

                                                                                         

I have been trying to work this out in my approach to life here. In the realm of work, some situations can be totally frustrating and others are wonderfully exhilarating and satisfying. So I need to plan my work-life to balance these experiences. I am planning into my timetable some good times at work which I know will balance out the miserable times – and so far it’s working. I’m beginning to understand that life can’t be exciting all the time and that the contrasts of experience are what make life richer.  

The same applies to my social life. I have neglected to plan in trips and journeys through which I can discover more of Africa and meet more  people who live here. I’m doing ok in terms of making friends locally, both in the volunteer community and local Rwandans but I need to balance this with discovering new places and people whilst I am here. Almost 9 months have passed already and the next year will pass even more speedily, so I need to plan a balance of opportunities. I am working on this aspect at the moment!

I’ll let you know how I get on and please tell me how you manage the balance of your life!

Lots of love to all my lovely friends and family. xxx

The Beautiful Lake Kivu

Every time I visit Lake Kivu I am overawed by its beauty. I hope this feeling never wanes, because that beauty conceals some great sadnesses and tragic events. The lake forms a border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda which,  historically,  have had very strained relationships. At present there is a kind of peace,  with citizens on both sides of the border wanting to live in peace and harmony. 

The great strides that have been made by the people of Rwanda in the last 17 years could be ruined by people of ill will. Let’s pray for these two great countries and the powers that rule them.

After our visit to the village we spent two days in the comparative  luxury of Home St Jean,  by the lake. We had showers and a glass or two of  fridge cold Primus, sitting on the terrace overlooking the water and mountains. We spent some time by the lakeshore, reading and swimming (well one of us swam, the others dipped their feet!) We re –organised our brains and talked about our experiences of the past few days and made commitments to continue our involvement with the project.

Wendy and Phil were entering their third week of their holiday and had other things they wanted to do. Phil has a friend who is opening a Coffee Shop in Cockermouth  The Coffee Kitchen  and he has just signed a contract to buy Rwandan coffee for his customers. We visited the Co-operative and viewed the Washing Station which is situated not far from where I live.

We  visited the pottery at Gisagara and bought some lovely gifts, followed by a visit to the Ancient Kings’ Palace at Nyanza – including a ‘life size house of kings’, an amazing  structure and a fascinating  history. As a final insight into my life here,  we made a visit to one of my favourite schools where Wendy and Phil were introduced to the teachers and children. As usual the teachers wanted to practice their English and asked lots of questions about life in the UK. The children were as delightful and welcoming as ever. 

As a special treat for me,  we went to the Mille Colline Hotel in Kigali and had a wonderful steak lunch with chilled white wine – not tasted since January!!  

Unfortunately the swimming pool was empty because it was being re-tiled but next time...

Thanks Phil and Wendy for making the three weeks so happy and fulfilling. I'm proud of you!!

Boats and Goats Episode 2

The building works...

To continue with the journey... we left the village with the building works very much under way and the classes already started. 


Wonderful memories of my sister and I doing the 'Hokey Cokey' with new friends and using 'Heads shoulders, knees and toes to teach English (parts of the body) This song can be heard the length and breadth of Rwanda!!

The Hokey Cokey 

So, back to the boats and goats...

My most challenging journey is a continuation of my favourite journey. We left the little boat and walked over the hill to the next inlet so that we could board the big boat to the market in Kibuye. Our friends carried our belongings into the boat and we said ‘Good bye’ or in my case ‘Farewell and see you soon’

The walk over the hill

The big wooden boat takes lake- side dwellers up to the market in Kibuye, picking people up from various points on the hillsides, as it makes its way down the lake.  A boat journey that would take 2 hours in a private hire boat takes 4 hours and is very very crowded by the time it arrives at its destination.

The empty market day boat

Women with babies on their backs and bananas on their heads; lean muscular men with great sacks of cassava roots; smartly dressed students travelling back to school; wide eyed toddlers and babies; toothless  old women with grins as big as their beams. All kinds of baggage- our now almost empty suitcase which we’d brought full of exercise books, text books and curriculum documents and teaching aids to leave in the village was on the roof of the boat, along with Jack’s grass mats that were made by a lovely girl in the village. He’s taking them home to the UK as presents for friends – each one represents a day’s wages for the artisan. At every stop on the lake more and more people and bags, goats etc were loaded onto the boat – more sacks of cassava, pineapples, mangoes, potatoes were added to the pile, goats and chickens were pushed in together.

The boat began to list to one side as people shifted around to find more space. The last hour was desperately slow and arduous. But at last we arrived at the market landing stage and, what chaos greeted us there!

The best bit was that we were on dry land again and out of the suffocating crowd. The second best bit was the noise and clamour as pigs were being loaded on an enormous deep hulled boat going to Congo. These pigs did NOT want to go on that boat – what a racket!!! Squealing and honking and grunting as the men pushed, pulled, lifted and threw those great beasts into the hull of the boat.  More than one made a bid for freedom – at one point I looked up and saw what I thought was a hippo in the water, but no, it was a pig swimming furiously away! However he soon turned round and swam back to the shore.

Later on I realised if we hadn’t had that awful journey we wouldn’t have had that great experience of the crowded quayside. That day began with a beautiful dawn journey, followed by a sad farewell and a frightening journey culminating in a sight so comical as a pig swimming in the lake. We were ready for a rest and, yet again, the beautiful Lake Kivu had shown me another aspect of its personality.

The peace and tranquillity of Home St Jean awaited.

Boats and Goats

Early Morning bale out

Whoah! What a couple of weeks!!

I’m trying to remember how many boat trips, moto rides and bus journeys we have taken in the last two weeks but it is too may to count, so I’m going to think of my favourite journey and my most challenging journey.

Fishermen singing in the catch

The favourite journey has to be the early morning boat trip on Lake Kivu when we left the village before dawn to travel back to Kibuye. 

We had been staying in the simple church building on top of the hill overlooking the lake with the fishermen singing in the catch every morning. 

Waking up at dawn

Wendy and Phil on the dawn treader!

There is no electricity or water in the village and the floor of the church is packed earth. My sister and I slept in luxury inside a tent, inside the church. Fidele’s Mama provided us with plentiful supplies of delicious food and hot water for a wash. We each took turns in having a strip down body wash at the back of the church in the pitch dark, whilst the rest of the group continued with the evening conversation about the events of the day.

So, back to my favourite journey. We woke before daybreak and gathered our things together, said our goodbyes and boarded the small open wooden boat just as the sun was rising - 8 passengers and 5 oarsmen, 10 grass mats and various pieces of luggage.

As we made our way over the still waters in dawn-time the songs of our oarsmen filled the early morning air. The singing of songs and use of rhythms help the men to pull together so that the boat can make smooth and rapid progress to the other side. This was a short journey to take us to the place where we would catch the weekly market day bus/boat.

Looking out from the boat to the shore I reflected over the last few days. I was visiting the village for the second time (see blog February 2011)

Putting in the new roof joists

 Fidele, Paul and Jack came at the beginning of August to get the project underway. They organised the building works, appointed a builder, purchased the materials and work had begun in just a few short days. They also appointed a teacher and a cook. The Nursery children (aged 5-7years) are going to be given breakfast and lunch every time they come to school.

Organising the nursery children

My role is to support and guide the teacher in providing a suitable curriculum for the children, in line with government documentation. Until now there has been no nursery school available in the locality and so the new school will take children until they are 6/7 years old and then they will attend the local government school which is at least an hour’s walk away. (This is not uncommon in Rwanda) The children will receive a very good foundation in learning before they start in the formal education system. There are also plans to provide some level of health care.

Adult English class

Later on in the day the teacher has a class of adults who want to learn English. They come to the school after they have finished their day’s work and before it gets dark. I was able to take part in some of these lessons and it was a joy to experience their enthusiastic response to all our efforts at teaching, and to walk through the village the next day being greeted by folks in the field s shouting ‘Good morning, how are you?’  In English!!

Evening meal by candlelight

When the building works are finished there will be a guesthouse with electricity, running water, flush toilet, proper beds and mosquito nets. There will also be a church/ schoolroom with concrete floor and electricity. The whole village will have water and eventually electricity. But just at the moment those luxuries don’t exist!

Luxury camping

So we slept in the church on mattresses with nets but no electricity or water. We ate our evening meals by candlelight and had our stand up wash in the dark.

But, oh what bliss! To feel the cool water on hot, dusty, dry skin. There was I,  standing naked in the dark knowing that friends were close by in the same darkness, talking quietly and reflecting on the day’s doings. Darkness can be comforting, especially when you know you are not alone....

To be continued ... ASAP 

Visitors and Gifts

Thankyou sooo much for the clothes for the children x 

I’ve been rather busy this week – so I’ve not been able to write up the blog until now. 

I am on leave from work for three weeks because I have two visitors from the UK. They came with two suitcases each, but only one was for their own belongings. The other suitcases were mainly full of clothes for the children here. Thankyou sooo much to all those people who sent clothes – believe me they will be fully used here.

Phil also brought lots of gizmos to play with!

The living room at the Hacienda was full of baby clothes, boys clothes, girls clothes and lots of lovely football shirts collected by a young friend and  a lovely lady in the Salvation Army Shop in Flimby. Thank you.

We went to visit the office where I work and Wendy soon made herself at home. 

My sister, Wendy sitting at my office desk

You will also see an orange box on the table - not only did I receive gifts from suitcases this week but also a parcel through the post! Thank you Ann, lovely chocolate, cereal bars AND (my favourite) Kettle Crisps - Cracked Peppercorn. I'm not sharing them with my visitors!!

Pictures on the wall above my desk

I hope you can spot the postcards of Blackpool sent to me by the lovely Christine! For those of you who don't know,  Blackpool is my home town where I was born. When I look at the postcards it reminds me of my Blackpool family.

This was the first day of our holiday and following our visit to the office, we went to the market, bought some fabric and went straight to the dressmakers to ask her to make two dresses for my sisters.

I have so much more to write about because it's been a very exciting two weeks. But my blog must wait a little while again...

Pictures tell lies.... and hurray for football!!

Looking down over one of the valleys

I visited a school in the most beautiful location on earth. 


It is in the northernmost sector of my district and very difficult to get to, even on a moto. I had to get off and walk on several occasions.


The school is a Primary school perched on top of a hill overlooking three valleys in different directions.

It is surrounded by pine trees which give welcome shade because even at this altitude the heat from the sun can be very intense. 


The air is fresh and clean, a welcome relief from the dust and dryness.


Truly a beautiful paradise?

I have some photos. 


I showed them to the headteacher when he came to Gitarama to visit me in the office. He spent a long time looking at them. He looked up and said "The pictures tell lies."


I knew exactly what he meant.


The pictures showed a beautiful scene with children playing in the shade of the trees, in the fresh mountain air - idyllic.

But the reality is a hard struggle for existence. Families are completely dependant on the land and the climate for their very means of staying alive.


To my eyes,the hills are beautiful but when you are carrying a heavy jerry can full of water up and down those hills for the survival of your family maybe the hills lose their attractiveness.


The pretty terraced hillsides are achieved by the hard physical toil of women with hoes(some men, but mainly women)working in groups, supporting each other. So when the rains come and still wash away the soil and your crops, it can be  struggle to start again. The pictures tell lies...

The little boy is quiet and still, nothing affects him, he doesn't talk, he doesn't smile, he doesn't cry, he doesn't respond at all.He stays close to the headteacher who is a kind and gentle man. 


I ask "Is he always like this? Does he ever change?Does he cry? Have you ever heard him laugh?"


"He's always like this, except when he's playing football with his friends, then he is happy!" 


So, HURRAY FOR FOOTBALL!!!


Lots of love to everyone and please keep up the comments.xxxx